from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

The Rangers made like the person on line at the deli counter of a supermarket whose ticket is numbered 81 while Ticket No. 1 was being served. Which is to say, the Blueshirts waited … and waited … and waited through a night largely devoid of drama that began with Toronto’s first-overall selection of Auston Matthews.

The Blueshirts did not move Rick Nash, Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider or Kevin Klein (Klein surfaced Friday as possible trade bait). The Blueshirts are not offering their assets at a discount. And while Kevin Shattenkirk remains in St. Louis after a deal with Edmonton collapsed, the Rangers are not pursuing the right defenseman with only one year remaining on his contract prior to potential free agency.

But it is not as if the carriage turned into a pumpkin at midnight. This was not the trade deadline. Gorton, whose team has selections 81, 98, 141, 171, 174 and 201 as the draft concludes with rounds two through seven on Saturday, will continue to work on deals in advance of July 1 free agency.

The Rangers have $56 million in cap space committed to a shadow roster of 15 players (two goaltenders, five defensemen and eight forwards), thus leaving $17 million to complete the 21- or 22-man roster. That $17 million would include the approximately $9 million to $10 million it likely would take to re-sign impending restricted free agents Kreider, J.T. Miller, Kevin Hayes and Dylan McIlrath (if not traded).

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